1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a mechanism for a read/write device (e.g.,. a magnetic tape device, an optical disk device, a web device, etc.). Exemplarily, the present invention relates in particular to a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a read/write head of a device.
2. Related Art
The cleaning mechanism for magnetic heads of magnetic tape devices of the Related art are described using FIGS. 14-16C. FIG. 14 is an overall perspective view of the magnetic tape device of the related art. FIGS. 15A-15B show the operation of an arm section 102 of FIG. 14. FIGS. 16A-16C are views showing the arm section 102 of FIG. 14, and specifically FIG. 16A is an upper view of the arm section 102, FIG. 16B is a frontal view of the arm section 102, and FIG. 16C is a perspective view of the arm section 102.
Insertion slot 101 is an opening on the side of the magnetic tape device, as shown in FIG. 14, for inserting a tape cartridge holding magnetic tape in a spiral state. Arm section 102 of a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the magnetic head is mounted on one side of the magnetic tape device.
One end of arm section 102 of the cleaning mechanism pivots freely to allow a swinging motion. The other end of arm section 102 is mounted on brush 103. The other end of the arm section 102 extends towards magnetic head 104.
One side of the magnetic tape device contains bearing 105 capable of horizontal movement. During loading of the tape cartridge into the device from the insertion slot 101, bearing 105 moves horizontally in the loading direction. When extracting the tape cartridge from the device, bearing 105 moves horizontally towards the extraction direction. (See FIGS. 15A and 15B).
Cam surfaces 102a and 102b are installed on arm section 102 of the cleaning mechanism and make (See FIGS. 16A-16C) sliding contact with bearing 105 that moves in an action linked with loading of the tape cartridge into the device.
When there is no tape cartridge loaded in the magnetic tape device as shown in FIG. 15A, bearing 105 makes contact with cam surface 102b on arm section 102, and arm section 102 is positioned at a location where brush 103 attached to arm section 102 makes direct contact with the uppermost edge of the read/write surface of magnetic head 104.
When there is a tape cartridge loaded in the magnetic tape device as shown in FIG. 15B, bearing 105 makes contact with cam surface 102a on arm section 102, and arm section 102 centered on that moving axis is pressed downwards towards the lower part of the device, and brush 103 stops at a position separated from the magnetic tape guide path in front of magnetic head 104.
In other words, when the tape cartridge is placed within the device (hereafter called “loading”), brush 103 attached to arm section 102, moves from the uppermost edge of the read/write surface of magnetic head 104 to below the mounting surface of magnetic head 104, and rubs against the read/write surface of magnetic head 104. When the tape cartridge is extracted from the device, brush 103 separated from the magnetic tape guide path in front of magnetic head 104, returns to the uppermost edge of the read/write surface of magnetic head 104 while rubbing against the read/write surface of magnetic head 104. This operation cleans magnetic head 104.
In the above method of the related art, a brush is moved upwardly and downwardly along the magnetic head to clean the magnetic head. On the other hand, another method for cleaning magnetic heads utilized in the magnetic tape device as disclosed in JP-A No. 328635/1999, makes the brush contact the magnetic head, and then utilizes a read-track-position alignment means to move the magnetic head relative to the brush.